Resources

A Pet’s Death is Significant

No, its not “just a dog” or “just a cat” your pet is a family member. With the death of your pet, the family experiences a significant loss. A difficult problem, however, is that society often denies you the need to grieve for your pet. You may even be chastised for openly and honestly expressing your feelings. As a result, your grief may be hidden, buried or ignored. Although denied understanding and support, your family needs to grieve the death of your pet. Grieving means to express your feelings, no matter how painful, outside of yourselves. There is no right or wrong ways to grieve, but rather just your way, and that’s okay.